DTW Asia 2023: on the future of digital transformation in Asia and beyond

Cerillion recently attended Digital Transformation World Asia in Bangkok, joining telecoms operators and vendors from across the region. Alistair Carwardine reflects on a week of embracing new technologies that are driving digital transformation.

Digital Transformation World Asia is TM Forum’s annual trade show, laser-focused on the latest trends and challenges in the telecoms industry across Asia; a platform for operators and analysts from the region and beyond to discuss the latest technological developments, and see the best products and services that vendors have to offer.

What better opportunity could Cerillion ask for to showcase our products and services to a broad audience of operators in the Asian telecoms space? Where else could I spend a morning talking BSS in Brunei before an afternoon of IoT in Indonesia?

This year's conference was all about “5G, AI, and Cloud: Accelerating Digital Transformation in Asia” as telecommunications operators move away from traditional operating models and legacy systems by embracing new technologies to innovate and differentiate in highly competitive markets.

The discussions around 5G were particularly noteworthy, with many vendors and operators showcasing their latest offerings that benefit from 5G’s faster speeds, lower latency and greater capacity. From autonomous vehicles to smart cities, it was clear that many operators are eager to explore the vast possibilities of this technology to meet the demands of their customers.

Cloud computing was also a hot topic, with many vendors showcasing their solutions. As the telecommunications industry comes to depend on cloud-based deployments, operators are increasingly looking to cloudify their networks and support systems to deliver scalable, flexible services, more efficiently and cost-effectively.

Naturally though, AI generated a great deal of interest at the conference as the world continues to reel from the release of ChatGPT. AI’s growing importance within the telecoms industry was obvious, with operators looking to employ it in automating various processes, enhancing network performance, and improving the customer experience. The conference highlighted the many benefits of AI, including reduced costs, greater personalisation for customers, and improved operational efficiency.

It was evident that many operators have their sights set on a BSS/OSS-as-a-Service solution that can help them manage their business more efficiently and cost-effectively. As an exhibitor, we were pleased to welcome many visitors to our stand, interested to find out more about our solutions, and how they can help streamline their operations and improve time-to-market for new services.

The event was a great success, and it was good to be able to touch base and catch up with some of our customers in the region, network with other vendors from the wider industry, and share the latest technological advancements driving these changes – and I’d never turn down the opportunity to do it while enjoying some wonderful Thai food either!

We’re excited to see what the future holds for the telecom industry in Asia, and to be part of this digital revolution, helping operators across the region to embrace new technologies and remain at the leading edge.